Top 10 Secrets of the Slim

Skinny people have their success secrets, and there's no reason you can't try them, too! Check out this video for ten slimming tips - and take the first step towards a hot, sexy new body.

Can Vitamin B12 Help Weight Loss

You may have heard claims of B12 shots producing significant weight loss in no time. You also may have heard scientists say that there's no proof B12 helps you lose weight (but it has been proven to keep you from gaining it). So what's the truth? What is B12 and does it really help you lose weight?

B12 is a nutrient we naturally get in our diets. It is vital for out body to function normally. A B12 deficiency can have serious effects on your body. Would you make a cake a purposely leave out the flour, sugar, or baking soda? Of course not. When you leave an important ingredient out, the cake just does not work right. Your body is the same way. If you're lacking an important nutrient like B12, your body just does not work right. By adding this vital nutrient to your system, you're letting your body operate more effectively and efficiently. This improves your overall health and helps you lose weight.

B12 gives you a great energy boost. While this may not take off the pounds in itself, it can get you up and moving. Many people don't exercise because they're just too tired at the end of a long day. With this extra energy, you can go to the gym or even just take a walk around the block. Plus, if you find your energy level dragging between shots, you can get more B12 in your diet to keep yourself going.

B12 boosts your metabolism. This means that you digest your food faster and burn more calories just by sitting there. And the more calories you burn, the fewer calories you store as fat. Plus, if you increase your exercise level, you'll boost your metabolism even more!

If you've looked into B12 shots, you've probably noticed they're a bit pricey; usually about $65 a piece. As I mentioned earlier, we all have B12 in our system that come from the food we eat. While getting shots may be a bit more potent, you can get more B12 into your system by adding it into your diet. Don't try pills, they don't work as well. Just eat more foods that are rich in B12. Some suggestions for food high in B12 include: clams, liver, trout, and salmon. You can also find foods, such as breakfast cereal that have been fortified with B12 and other vitamins and minerals.

There are many arguments for and against B12. There are scientists who will claim that there's no proof of its effectiveness, but what about the thousands of people who say they've lost weight? The key to losing weight is that there's no magical shot or pill, you have to work at it. However, combined with diet and exercise, B12 could be the boost your system needs to finally take those extra pounds off.

Fitness Program Must Include Posture

It is your third set, and you are fighting to complete your tenth repetition of bicep curls. You are doing whatever is necessary to complete that tenth rep even at the expense of proper exercise form and posture. Exercise posture probably has never entered your mind, nor has anyone said proper spinal alignment, and posture are crucial to your fitness program results.

The often overlooked, and rarely talked about, exercise posture
is extremely important in preventing exercise injuries, and
strengthening your overall skeletal muscle system. When
focusing on proper posture while performing an exercise, you will provide a more grounded, solid base; thus, improving focus on taxing the specific intended muscle group or movement without getting unwanted muscles involved.

It is also important to focus on everyday posture outside of your fitness program. Discomfort in the back and neck is the primary adverse consequence of poor posture. It can also strain your hips and knees.

The first thing you must know is what exactly is proper posture. Find a mirror, take a deep breathe, and exhale. Now observe your position. Your head should be centered on your neck (not pushed forward or tilted in any way.) Your shoulders should be level, and not sloped. Your chest should be up, and abdominals tucked in. You should also assume the same type of position when seated.

When conducting any type of exercise, strength training or cardio, please focus on the specific posture mentioned above. Concentrate on contracting your abdominals during the execution of all exercises. Chest will be up, and head straight forward. This little reminder will not only protect you from injury, but automatically strengthen your core muscles from the constant isometric contraction.

It is important to note that poor posture can be corrected by
combating the two major causes of misalignment: weak muscles,
and bad habit. Correction begins outside of the gym getting into the habit of proper posture each and every day as mentioned above.

Here are a few more exercise tips to help you strengthen the muscles that will affect your posture.

1. Do pelvic tilt exercises while lying on the ground

2. Abdominal crunches

3. Upper and lower back exercises. Rhomboid, and Erector Spinae

4. Strengthen your gluteal and leg muscles

In order to increase your exercise productivity, and decrease the chance of injury, pay close attention to your posture both during, and after participating in your specific exercise program. You will see a difference in results and fitness program injury prevention.

*** Attention: Ezine Editors / Website Owners ***
Feel free to reprint this article in its entirety in your ezine, Blog, Autoresponder, or on your website as long as the links, and resource box are not altered in any way.

Jim O'Connor - Exercise Physiologist / The Fitness Promoter

Copyright (c) - Wellness Word, LLC

Fitness Competitions - Compete In Fitness Contests & Fitness Shows

This is an article designed to help you work toward competing in a Ms. Fitness or Ms. Figure contest. If you are debating the idea of competing then don't debate, just go for it! Almost anyone can prepare toward a Fitness/Figure contest and this information should give you a great boost toward that goal! It is nice to have the 2 classes to choose from.

When I discuss competition, there are several obstacles which seem to deter women from competing. The 4 biggest concerns I hear are:

I can't do gymnastics


I am not flexible


I can't jump


I could never get that lean

I could never get that lean

These are all very simple problems to deal with and age has no bearing on anything! I have competed along side many women in their 40's who have won or placed very high.

The Ms. Fitness routine is not judged on what "tricks" you are able to perform, but rather on how clean and polished the content is. Ms. Figure has the same focus with a bit more on physique, of course, since this is a contest where the judges want to see a body in between fitness and bodybuilding. Ms. Figure is perfect for those who are not interested in the strength, flexibility and endurance components of competition. Ms. Figure contestants should recognize that Ms. Figure does require that you to be somewhat leaner than for a Ms. Fitness competition.

Bare Basics

Planning Training & Diet

Let's start of with planning. You want to look ahead a year to 4 months away from a contest date depending on your current level. Training and diet needs to be periodized toward your contest so that you are prepared and peaked at the right time. I always suggest doing a few contests the same year especially if there are some contests that fall a week apart so that you can get some experience and get to utilize everything you worked so hard for. Periodizing simply means you plan progressively over time so that you can:

I can't do gymnastics


I am not flexible


I can't jump


I could never get that lean

Insure success

Ms. Fitness wants to concentrate on the outcome of a nice toned and moderately lean physique with out too much hardness or striations. Ms. Figure wants to get a bit leaner than Ms. Fitness with a bit more muscle density and hardness yet not as lean, striated or muscular as the bodybuilders. Achieving this balance is the trick. Even once your at your best the rest is up to who is standing beside you and how you all look in comparison.

The type of weight training/cardio and diet depends on each individual, some need more others need less but everyone needs a different combo and levels can vary so programs have to be individualized, you can't train/eat like "everyone else" because it may not work for YOU. Mass produced competitive training/diet manuals made bulk in advance to help you prepare for a contest can work but were not made just for you, which means you are getting second best. I am very insistent on making sure all the programming is catered to each of my clients individual needs but unfortunately not all trainers do that which can result in injury or lack of preparation. You don't want to be 'group' trained for contests because the chances of all participants being at the same level has a very low probability resulting in some participants not getting all the attention needed to be properly prepared.

Talent

Don't have one? Who cares! You can put a routine together with any theme. I have put all types of routines together for Ms. Fitness, Ms. Figure and Bodybuilding that utilize all types of talents from Salsa to Martial Arts. Take what you like and enhance it. Even some ethnic backgrounds can translate into a cool routine, so be creative because that always gives you points! Here are some theme ideas used in past fitness, figure and bodybuilding routines:

avoid injury


work on different aspects of training/diet progressively


avoid overtraining or too many plateaus


insure success

Suits, Posing and Tanning

Costumes and posing suits are also going to be judged. Even if they're not part of the formal scoring, your outfits can make you look better or worse so keep that in mind. The color of your suit is a big factor. With Ms. Figure you have to stick with a solid color for pre-judging so you want to pick a complimentary color that will enhance your physique but not take away or distract from it. Black seems to be very popular. Now it has been okay to use a dazzled up suit for night shows in Ms. Figure and Bodybuilding. Like the Ms. Fitness women, the Ms. Figure ladies want to have 2 suits to highlight the morning and night show. Most of the judging is normally done in the morning show but there are times when ties occur and those are the occasions when you will be judged at night.

Skin tone is also normally judged and affects your look. The appearance of looking 'tight' is enhanced by tanning and coloring. I normally suggest tanning well in advance so that by the last few weeks prior to competing you don't have to tan which can make some people feel drained and considering you're already dieting and depleted you don't need added stresses. Then you can start coloring up a few days prior to contest. For those of you not familiar, there are products sold for that extreme tanned look which is needed on stage to keep from being washed out by the stage lights. The products vary but are made especially for competition and can be found online at some bodybuilding sites. I find being tanned then using the coloring product is your best bet.

Skills

Now you have to assess your skills. For Ms. Figure most women are required to do the routine in a regulation suit and heels although some organizations have a figure that is close to Ms. Fitness in the way that they can wear a costume and do a high energy routine but without inverted movements and adding poses into the routine. Ms. Fitness uses heels for the physique and gown round so here is a skill that is needed -- practice walking in 4-5 inch heals (I always suggest platform, you may think they are ugly but they look the best on stage)! Of course, open hand posing (similar to the mandatory bodybuilding poses) must be practiced for the comparison rounds in Ms. Figure. Both classes need to practice posing for the quarter turns. There is a variation of ways to pose but you don't want to be to stiff. You want to get a balance with your arms to avoid over exaggeration but the line is fine because you do need to strain a little. You want to angle slightly but keep heels together, head high, shoulders level and back, chest out, exhale to show abs. On the side pose some judges like you to look at them and others like you to look straight ahead so keep your ears open for the cues. The side pose is when you want to hike up the hip that faces the judges and even lift your heel a tad to give a nice defined leg and glute.

Lastly on your back pose you need to bring the lats out more for Ms. Figure than Ms. Fitness but in both cases the shape has to show, and tuck up the tush for a nice tight back end.

Skills for the fitness routine are a variety of holds, push ups, splits and dance. With a minimum of these you can put together a winning routine. When girls perform 'lacking' routines but still win fitness contest the audience can still see for themselves who the REAL fitness girls are regardless of the placings - likewise if you see a great routine but the girl has cellulite on her rear the audience can see it! Unfortunately I have seen Champions who have won contests without so much as a push up and no flexibility whatsoever but they had unbelievable stage presence, a clean and polished routine, or a higher point grade in other rounds. I still to this day believe you should go into a contest with strength and flexibility components in your routine but you don't have to be a gymnast to win a Ms. Fitness contest.

Tropical Dreams Relaxation by Lita

sleep insomnia bed tired awake sleeping tip relax rest doze energy sedative sleepless dream pm health athletics beauty home fitness food advice video blog

bod's Fitness Workout Video

Keep fit with BOD Join the BOD Facebook Page: www.facebook.com BOD Blog: bodrochowski.blogspot.com Ask Me Anything www.formspring.me

Cardiorespiratory Fitness Fitness Inside and Out!

Cardiorespiratory fitness on the other hand is a condition by which the muscles of the body performs its work by circulating blood reaching the heart and thus supplements sufficient amount of oxygen through normalized breathing. It is also known as CR endurance or aerobic fitness.

This condition is required to sustain the regular utilization of large groups of muscles. It is also needed at elevated levels to allow constant and uninterrupted bodily functions. High levels would also permit a fast recovery from fatigue.

What is the Importance of Cardiorespiratory Fitness?

CR fitness is said to be responsible for the prolonged use of large muscles of the body. It is expected to be at its peak, but it would depend on the state and ability of the cardiovascular, respiratory systems and the muscles as well.

It is very essential such that it is the determining factor by which a body can be considered healthy or not. It also determines the lifespan of a person suffering from certain heart disease. If it can be heightened at some particular level, the risks of dying from cardiovascular disease will be reduced.

How to Test Your Cardiorespiratory Fitness?

If you are a person born with a heart problem, then you should be aware of your CR fitness level. Regular monitoring is very important.

Boost your level of cardiorespiratory fitness by engaging in specific exercises. There are three tests by which CR fitness is known; these are: One-mile walk assessment, Treadmill test, and the three-minute step assessment. Take your pick and proceed with a healthy fitness program.

How to Improve Cardiorespiratory Fitness?

Cardiorespiratory fitness can be further enhanced by doing a controlled healthy physical activity such as: walking, running, cycling, swimming, rowing, jumping rope, skiing and calisthenics exercises. These kinds of activities would further increase you pulse rate and thus helps you to sweat out all those unwanted toxins present in the body. However, before doing such vigorous workouts, it is always important to consult a physician before doing so.

Learn more about Calisthenics and stretching http://www.health-fitness-lifestyle.com/sp/calisthenics-and-stretching.html

Steve has been busy searching out the best and most useful eBooks available on the internet today. But not just any old subject or any old book!

He made it his mission to seek out the highest quality eBooks on issues which can affect us at any time in our lives.

Did you find our tips useful? Then you'll see, that all it takes is a few small changes and a bit of secret knowledge to live a healthier life - without giving up all the good stuff. More info can be found at http://www.health-fitness-lifestyle.com Don't forget to sign up to our Free daily eGuides